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On Thursday February 26, 2015, Ms Thompson phoned police after Thompson had sent her death threats.

He was taken into police custody and an AVO was issued, but he was released the following day.

The same day he was released, Thompson breached the AVO when he spotted Ms Thompson and Mr Moad driving in Cessnock, then stalked them.

Mr Moad on a cruise ()

In a panic, they drove straight to Cessnock Police Station.

"(Thompson) actually walked up the driveway," Ms Thompson said.

"He turned to Michael and said, 'Do I know you?'"

"I was just in a state of panic. I was having a meltdown."

The Thompsons on their wedding day ()

Thompson was taken back into police custody and Ms Thompson wrote a statement with Mr Moad.

Their request to have Mr Moad's name supressed from the AVO was denied by police, who later handed Thompson documentation with his full name on it.

"He was told Michael's name, he looked it up in the phone book and because he had a home phone, his address was there," Ms Thompson said.

In the early hours of March 1, 2015, Mr Moad and Ms Thompson were unaware that Thompson had been released from police custody and was watching them.

Behind the smiles, Ms Thompson was trapped in an abusive relationship for decades ()

"I would have thought he would still be in custody or we would have done something different, we would have, I don't know, moved somewhere else or done something differently," Ms Thompson said.

Thompson had two knives, tape and a bottle of bourbon with him when he barged into Mr Moad's home.

"I seen him behind Michael and I seen Michael with blood all over him, and I seen the knife and I thought, 'I can't fight him with a knife,'" Ms Thompson said.

"I just ran. I ran because I knew that if I didn't get in touch with the police, that if I didn't get in touch with the ambulance, I had no hope of saving him."

When police arrived, they found Thompson in his car attempting to take his own life.

Police found Thompson in his car after he brutally killed Mr Moad ()

"It's just unreal, it's just how can this happen? One minute we're just planning our future and the next, he's gone. He's dead in the most horrific way," Ms Thompson said.

Ms Thompson still struggles to accept what happened.

"If Michael wasn't in my life, he would still be here today," she said.

"It's a very hard thing to live with and it breaks my heart."

Thompson was sentenced to at least 17 years and three months behind bars, bringing some comfort for Mr Moad's family.

But Ms Thompson said she and her four children have 17 years and three months until they no longer feel safe.

"I know he shows no remorse. I believe that the minute he gets out, it's my fault. 'I told you (he had previously said), whatever makes you happy I'll destroy,'" she said.

"I will have to move from a country I love to a country I've never been to just so my children and I can be safe, and that's like a prison sentence in itself."

Ms Thompson is plagued by the fact that if she had not met Mr Moad, he would still be alive today ()

Victims of Crime Assistance League support specialist Kerrie Thompson says far too often, victims are not taken seriously.

"There are a lot of gaps in the system and we've seen the worst outcomes in this case," she said.

"The police require a high level of proof in order to charge an offender with a breach of an AVO. It can be very difficult for our clients to prove to police that there is ongoing harassment, intimidation and stalking."

But Pru Goward, the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services, says a tough new strategy introduced last year will help stop reoffenders.

"Women and victims of domestic violence should know that we now are very proactive, very aggressive about perpetrators," Ms Goward said.

"We are so much better at keeping victims safe, we are so much better at picking up on those perpetrators, picking them up off the street, getting them out of her life or his life, making sure that they don't have the opportunities they used to harass, to intimidate, to threaten violence."

If you, or somebody you know, is a victim of domestic violence, there is help.

You can phone the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service, 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), any time – day or night.